Second's Waste
by ApparentlyFood
Summary: A second should never be thought unforgotten because sometimes it's just too late. 9/11


I don't own naruto.

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><p>A four year old Ino walked between the gates, her big brother, Deidara holding her small hand. "Hold the flowers properly, Ino," he said, and then stopped walking just as they had past the gates to turn at her, bending lower. "This is not a place to have fun. It's very serious." he grunted, standing up to ruffle her hair slightly.<p>

In response, she squirmed under his hand and began to pat her short locks back into place. "I know that!" she said, touching one of the petals of the flowers in the bouquet. "I miss daddy…"

"Yes, Ino. I do too. That's why we're here today, to visit. Now be quiet right now isn't the time to whine about missing father, he's gone," the distastefulness in his voice was sharp, deep even for himself, merely a seven year old. "I know this place, grandfather drove us here and he cannot go in so we will deliver all the love we can."

Ino looked at her brother, her eyes shining slightly before tears began to reveal itself in her eyes. "No, no, Ino. I'm sorry!" Deidara picked her up, holding her in his arms to swing her slightly. "I didn't mean to say that." he kissed her cheek once, then twice and she finally began to calm down.

Deidara placed her down on the ground, patting her dress down and held her hand, tugging her along. Down the same road was a boy, a nine year old boy giving a small four year old boy a piggy back ride.

They crossed each other, the older boy's eyes connecting with Deidara's to hold for a few seconds until they finally past.

Both of them were in the cemetery, standing in front of their father's grave. Ino sat on the ground immediately, placing the flowers on the grave.

"Daddy, I brought you flowers." she touched the dirt slightly, watching Deidara walked into the small stone building behind her father's grave, putting several items inside before walking back out. "Deidara taught me how to draw this past year. Mommy told us to tell you that she misses you a lot, and so does grandpapa and grandmamma. Deidara is drawing really good, and he's doing great in school, he skipped two grades!" she held up two fingers, brushing her hair back. "Do you think I can be as good as Deidara?" Ino stood up, brushing the dirt from the dress she wore. "Oh, and I learned how to swim this summer, the way you taught me!" she gave a smile, and felt her brother settle in the spot beside her.

"I've paid my respects inside," he said, a small smile quirking at his lips about Ino before saying a silent prayer and tugging Ino out of the cemetery.

"What's today, Deidara?"

"September eleventh," he responded easily.

_**Five Years Later**_

Deidara and Ino walked past the same gates every year, seeing the same two boys walking out as they walked in.

Ino was nine years old at the time, Deidara being twelve, and being wise beyond his age. He held a bouquet of flowers and looked at the watch on his wrist. Down along the road was a tall boy, a smaller boy beside him, their facial expressions exactly alike. She looked curiously at the younger boy before turning away and walking faster to her father's grave.

Her brother sat down beside her as Ino pushed her hair back and it easily rolled down her back in loose platinum blond strands. "I learned in school how you died, that incident." and she raised her head to see Deidara walk into the stone area behind their father's grave pressing his hands together and kneeling at Inoichi's photo inside.

"Mom just recently died from cancer …we're sad down here, but at the same time we're all happy that you're both reunited. And recently we had graduation …and only Deidara came because grandma and grandpa couldn't make it. When I accepted my reward for valedictorian almost nobody clapped until Deidara clapped really loudly. He's selling his art for a lot of money to help grandma and grandpa in bills and things like that. I'm so weak compared to him… this other silent boy got the first in school but he had many claps, maybe it was because he was popular." she pushed her long strands back, touching her bangs. "I miss you…"

"Ino," Deidara called, walking out of the small stone area to wipe at her tears, pulling her up gently. "We have to go to school. We should go now," he said, grabbing her hand and began walking in the direction of the gates once more.

"What's today, Deidara?" she asked, knowing the answer.

"September eleventh," he responded easily, a smile quirking at his lips at how she asked the same question every year.

_**Ten Years Later**_

Ino walked through the gates by herself, seeing the two boys nowhere to be seen and she continued down, remembering the gravesite by heart. Her hair was tied in a high ponytail, her bangs covering the right side of her face. She patted at the summer dress she wore and touched her thigh highs softly before tapping the toes of her ballet flats.

"I'm back," she whispered. "I read your will again before coming here and I'm a little mad at you for the arranged marriage, but I know you probably only did it to help me." Ino placed the flowers down on the grave. "Deidara couldn't make it because he's at an art show to sell his art for money."

Ino tilted toward the direction of the sun. "How's it up there? Are grandmamma and grandpapa doing alright? It's only us two now… Do you think I can be a dancer?" Ino tilted her head up in the sky to feel a single drop of water hit her right cheek.

Then more drops of rain began to fall faster. "I'll put the flowers inside," she said, and stood up to walk into the stone area and placed it down.

Slowly Ino began to walk in the direction of the gates, all the while looking down at her mud-caked ballet flats, that was until a large shadow fell over her. "You shouldn't be walking around in the rain in _that_." A large black umbrella covered over her immediately as the deep voice had stopped talking.

"Not like it matters anymore," Ino responded softly, and then felt a heave fabric wrap around her shoulders. Then she looked at what it was to see a jacket, then at the face of the person that had thrown it carelessly on her shoulders.

It was that boy, well man. That same boy that she remembered was on the other's boy back that time when he was given the piggyback ride. "Oh, it's you," she tugged at her wet skirt. "Again."

They both walked in silence to the gates and immediately as they past it, the man turned toward her. "I know today isn't the day and since you're here must have meant you've lost many people in your life, important people. Despite all the sadness in the world today, would you mind if I ask you out on a date?"

"Tonight?"

"If not tonight, tomorrow."

"I-I don't date. My father had an marriage already arranged for me when I was younger. Since he has already passed away I would like it better if I stuck to who he wanted me to marry." Ino tucked her hair back, standing close to the man. He towered over her a considerable height.

"Who?"

She shook her wet ponytail slightly. "Sasuke Uchiha. I have never met him but I'm hoping to find him some day…"

"I'm sure he won't mind." and he walked her to a random direction, around the corner to a silver car parked underneath a tree. "I'm sure my father had it planned out as well. Because I'm Sasuke Uchiha," a smile quirked at his lips as he pulled his wallet out, flipping it open to reveal his ID card.

Ino took one step back, looking at him, a blush forming at her cheeks. Who would have thought some child her father had known at a young age would turn out to be so handsome, not to mention successful according to the looks of his car and clothes.

"So, a date?" he asked once more, brushing Ino's hair back.

The blonde looked up at his face. "Tomorrow," she answered, tiptoeing to reach his lips.

His arms wrapped around her waist, her arms around his neck to pull each other closer. Maybe the fact that they had only one chance every year to see each other had made their attraction multiply after realizing their father's will, not to mention the fact that they felt practically friends, at least in the cemetery. Ino pulled away, staring at his eyes before pulling him toward her a second time.

Not a second to waste.

Sasuke sneaked a soft look down at his watch when they pulled apart. Their love that just appeared in less than a second.

10:28 AM. 9/11

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><p>Just something I had to ...had to do.<p>

Review? I know it's not my best work ...


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